Stardust
by Alizarin7
Summary: The last of her kind left on a planet overrun with alien creatures who do not seem to see her. Celeste is lost and alone in a world she once called her home, unable to fulfill her purpose. Until a strange man clad in leather appears and offers her an escape, and Celeste follows him. The lonely alien girl will travel with him to wondrous worlds and fulfill her destiny.
1. Chapter 1

Celeste bowed her head silently as she knelt down on the cold obsidian floor, her royal purple hair creating sheets beside her face, shielding her closed eyes from the flickering light of candles scattered around the small altar room. Silence stretched, only being broken by the labored breathing of the High Priestess beside her, reminding Celeste how quickly she would replace her old mentor. Taking a breath herself, Celeste clasped her thin hands in prayer, the skin between her thin eyebrows bunching up with concentration. After a moment, she felt the High Priestess stand and she too stood gently, steadying the old woman.

Her mentor wore her age with grace, her skin no longer a brilliant shimmering silver like Celeste's but a tough, steel-colored leather to contrast against her fading purple hair. Her eyes, as wide and gem-like as Celeste's own, were still sharp with wisdom but creased with age. The loose fitting navy robes did not hide her straight posture and she looked down at her pupil with a solemn smile. "Dear, Celeste, do not forget that this day is also in thine honour."

She felt her lips twitch up as she met her mentor's gaze with her cool sapphire-like eyes. "I know, High Priestess."

The woman nodded, pleased with her detached answer, and turned towards the altar, a small piece of black star rock with a waterfall of liquid mercury flowing down into a gold bowl and overflowing to the ground, returning to its home. "Let us anoint you with the blood of our ancestors."

Nervousness began to tie Celeste's stomach in knots as the High Priestess dipped her fingers in the hot liquid. She was told it would not harm those chosen by Bothynus but what if the Lady Star had made a mistake? And Celeste wasn't chosen. She had to be, otherwise she would not be as silver as the liquid glinting on her High Priestess's fingers. This was ritual, it must be done to complete the connection with their Lady Star and finally become a High Priestess after years of training. Celeste held her arms out to the sides, parallel to the ground, and took a deep breath as the High Priestess inched towards her.

She trailed her fingers along Celeste's skin and...It didn't hurt. The toxic substance merely tingled her skin pleasantly as her mentor drew swirling patterns up her arms, over her shoulders, up her neck, and over her face, ending with a crescent moon in the middle of her forehead. With a nod from her mentor, Celeste untied her black robe and let it fall to the ground, letting her High Priestess continue painting down her spine and around her waist, trailing it down her legs until it ended circling around each ankle. But it wasn't done yet. As previously instructed, Celeste nervously dipped her own fingers in the mercury and nearly froze. This was when Bothynus would mark her, show her what she was to become, but for a second Celeste felt nothing.

Then the tingling of the mercury became hot, not uncomfortable, and Celeste knew what to drew. As if guided by instinct alone, her fingers drew two hearts, one just above each of her breasts. Her mentor frowned but nodded in approval once more. She stepped back and bowed with one fist over her right heart to Celeste, symbolizing the stepping down of her cherished teacher. "In our Lady Star's path may you walk, filled with wonders and star dust. Blessed be, High Priestess Celeste Nox."

She fisted her own heart and bowed as well, replying in a quiet but strong voice, "Blessed be, Star Sister."

They both straightened and Celeste was pleased to find a proud grin lighting up her mentor's face. "Get ready, High Priestess, the Princess awaits you." She turned and left the candle-lit room, leaving Celeste alone to pick up her black robe and once again dress in its draping fabric, tying it with a golden cord at her hourglass waist.

Looking down at her arms, Celeste was surprised to see the Mercury seeping into her skin, fading into a metallic purple and staining her skin, forever marking her as a High Priestess until her time would come as well. With a smile on her face, she bowed her head in thanks to Bothynus before hurrying out the wooden door and down the large obsidian bridge leading to the elaborate castle made out of jade. When she walked through the large double doors, Celeste wasmet with a crowd of people much like her in form, humanoid, but differing in skin. Her people, aside from herself and her previous mentor, were born with lavender skin that seemed to shimmer. That was how one knew who was chosen by the Lady Star, they were born with silver skin.

The people were gathered in the expansive entrance hall around a small stage-like object made of gold where two others stood next to a throne carved from ruby and onyx. One was the Queen, a tall, willow of a thing with faded hair and a warm smile. Beside her was the Princess, tall and graceful like her mother but Celeste noted her eyes were rather cold when they met her gaze. Celeste straightened her back and walked down the aisle made by the parting of the crowd and ascended the steps on the stage. She bowed to the two royals who nodded their heads in return before facing the crowd of citizens.

"Beloved people of Nova, of our Lady Star," Celeste began her well practiced speech, amazed at how her voice remained strong despite her nervousness. "we gather here this blessed day to honour our Queen." She paused as the citizens bowed and the Queen smiled. "As well as to honour our Princess, who together shall complete the ever-present cycle of life and death.

"We must complete this cycle and relieve the old of their well-performed duties. The time has come to usher in a new Queen to lead us on the path of Bothynus." She stepped aside to allow the Queen and Princess to face each other, folding her hands in front of her to quit their shaking. The Princess and Queen crossed their arms and grasped hands. Her mentor then walked up to Celeste holding a clear bowl of mercury and she dipped her finger into the substance, finding it as easy as penetrating water. She then stood behind their conjoined hands.

"I connect you in honour of our Lady Star, so that you may not have to relive the mistakes of your ancestors." Celeste trailed her painted finger over the Queen's hand and over to the Princess's, connecting them with one line. "I connect you in honour of our people, so that you may lead them rightfully and fairly." She did the other in a likewise fashion and barely stifled her gasp as the skin sizzled on both persons. But looking at their faces, Celeste noticed that they had expected the burning. "As you release her, you release her as our Queen and relinquish the duties you have upheld."

The previous Queen smiled and released the Princess's hands, her smile widening at the cheers of the crowd. The Princess stared wide-eyed at them and Celeste smiled, knowing she was feeling the happiness of her people through her newly made bond. With gentle hands, she led their new Queen on her throne and then faced the crowd once more. "I present to you: Queen Lynx Libra and I, her High Priestess Celeste Pavo."

There was cheers of happiness and applause from her people and the Queen smiled back at the High Priestess before a loud, shocking sound rang out and the Queen slumped in her throne, the ruby object soon being covered with golden blood. Shrieks erupted as the doors burst open and strange foreign things filed in with black things in their grasps, the sound multiplying as if echoing while her people crumpled around Celeste. She shook, her eyes wide as she watched her mentor spring into action, getting in the middle of the fray and yelling at the creatures but she crumpled like the others until only a few were left standing, among her included as she was rooted to the spot. The creatures turned to the citizens left, paying her no mind as if they had looked right past her, and the sound rang in Celeste's ears until she was the only one left...


	2. Chapter 2

Her eyes grew wide in disbelief, shock, as she tried comprehending what had just happened before her eyes. The aliens worked around her, like she was invisible, and cleared the bleeding bodies of her people without so much as a frown. Finally, everything caught up with the poor High Priestess and she fell to her knees, crying out in anguish as hot tears slid down her cheeks. Celeste lost track of time as she stayed curled in her heap upon the floor, letting the sobs rack her wiry body in grief for the loss she felt looming over her skin, like a stain she could never wash off.

When her eyes burned and she just laid on the floor, staring at the feet of the aliens walking around her, Celeste slowly came back to herself. She needed to pick herself up off the floor and figure out what was going on, and she did just that. She wiped at her cheeks and looked around, sniffling. The aliens, bulky creatures with black armour coating their bodies and that killing device strapped to their backs, had cleaned the room and were now moving in odd objects of dull metallic colors, foreign things. The throne was taken away and so was the stage, replaced instead with the odd machines arranged in a circle around a large table made of some material Celeste didn't recognize. It was all so odd to her.

She couldn't understand what the aliens were saying, their mouths much like her own but pink were creating short, clipped sounds that Celeste didn't recognize. The machines whizzed on, the screens lighting up with pictures of her planet; the castle, the amethyst trees with dangling sapphires, the village made of gold and onyx and various other gems, and then her holy altar, an octagon room with chrysocolla walls and connected to the castle by an obsidian bridge. Panic washed over Celeste as she watched the images flit across the machines and the aliens appear at some of the places, killing any of the people left.

They began smashing odd looking things at homes in the villages, making the gem buildings crash down, and then collected them. That was why they killed her people? For the materials? She noticed when she glanced at another screen that they were heading to her holy altar and gritted her teeth. They would not destroy the Lady Star's home, Celeste would not let them. With a hot rage fueling her, she raced out of the castle and down the bridge, arriving in front of the building just as the aliens were walking up.

"You will leave." She commanded, voice firm and hard as flint. The aliens acted like they didn't hear her as they climbed on to the bridge and walked back towards the castle, most carrying chunks of rubble from the village. They skirted around her as if she wasn't there and yet they knew than to touch her, making Celeste cry out in frustration. But then she realized that the holy altar was also safe, like her.

She watched the aliens walk, sometimes occasionally talking to each other in ways she didn't understand, until they became small blips of color entering the castle then ducked inside her holy altar, shutting the fluorite door tightly. Nothing was disturbed, it was exactly as it was left with the dusty pink pillar candles scattered around the rocky, cave-like surface of the blue walls and the star rock altar still spilling out mercury. Celeste did the only thing she could think of at a time like this: kneel before the blood of her sisters and bow her head in prayer.

"Bothynus, Lady Star, have mercy on me." She pleaded, her voice thick with grief. "My people...My people did not deserve this. Was there no warning to give, Lady Star? Have you grown cold and turned away from us? Is there nothing I can do to save them?" She felt tears slip past her closed eyes. "Please, Bothynus, show me the way, show me how to avenge my people. Lend me strength to avenge you. Those creatures are not welcome here." Her voice grew stronger as her conviction solidified and she stood, angrily glaring at the space rock. "I will avenge my people."

A rush of energy coursed through her, lighting her veins on fire, and Celeste set to work, walking behind the altar to the rock shelves filled with supplies. If they couldn't see or hear her, she'd make herself known in other ways.

Six moons have passed since that evening on Nova and despite her fruitive efforts to stop these aliens, Celeste was no successful. The planet she once loved, once shimmering with beautiful jewels and minerals in a multitude of color under the blue and purple starry sky, was now a barren wasteland, the only building still standing was the her octagon room and half of the obsidian bridge. It was abrupt and nearly silent. Celeste woke up one morning to walk out, the large white hot sun shining brightly over the dark purple dust consisting of the ground. She looked around with a frown, noting the odd vessels of the aliens were gone and as were they...Flat land stretched around her, reminding her that she was completely alone…

Or so she thought. Her eyes squinted in the distance and she noticed a square shadow on the horizon. With her curiosity leading her, she picked up the hem of her long robe and hurriedly walked towards it. The purple dust tickling her feet a bit until she slowed, frowning at what stood before her. A blue box stood in the middle of where her village once was. There was a light atop the box and white words reading "Police Box" which Celeste was surprised to be able to read. Then the door slowly opened and another pink alien stepped out, looking around with wide eyes before spotting her and grinning. "Ah, a Novician!"


	3. Chapter 3

Celeste instant stepped away from the pink alien, a look of confusion crossing her face as she wondered why he could see her. The others weren't able to...But the pink alien didn't look deterred and he stepped out of the blue box in dark trousers, a purple tunic with a v-neck shape, and a rough looking jacket of some sort. His hair, an odd shade Celeste wasn't very familiar with, was close cropped and short and his ears were rather large, as large as his grin actually.

She took another step backwards and the alien's smile turned into confusion, "Oh, no don't be afraid, I'm well known on Nova. The Doctor, in the stories?"

Celeste watched him warily with narrowed eyes until another head of hair popped up beside him, this an odd shade of yellow. It was a girl, lighter than him and in a dress that reminded Celeste of the color of an amethyst, just without the shimmer. While the "Doctor's" eyes were watching her, Celeste watched the girl look around her plundered planet and tugged on the other's sleeve. "Doctah, is this what it's supposed to be like?"

The Doctor blinked and looked around, "Not at all! What happened? Looks like you've been through a war! Novicians never fight."

"People. Like you." Celeste said quietly, not expecting them to understand her even though she could them.

"Like us?" The girl asked while following the Doctor out.

The Doctor looked around almost sadly and the more Celeste studied him, the familiar he felt. Her chest burned, right where the tattoos were. "Pillaged. Humans are selfish creatures." He said with a hard glint in his eyes before turning to Celeste. "What's your name?"

"Celeste Pavo, the High Priestess of what is left of my planet." She said, her voice withdrawn.

The Doctor smiled at that and fisted one hand over his heart and bowed, giving the girl a look that told her to do the same. "The Doctor, Time Lord, and Rose Tyler, human companion."

"Rise." Celeste nodded at them, trying to keep her chin high. The familiar greeting put her a bit at ease. "Time Lords...From Gallifrey? Our sister planet? I thought…"

"I'm the last of them." The Doctor answered her and then said bluntly, "Like you are now. Right?"

Celeste had had time to come to terms with that knowledge on her own but hearing it from another's mouth, it made her hearts ache for what was lost. Swallowing, she nodded. "Yes, you humans raided my planet and murdered my otherwise peaceful people during a coronation. " She said, meeting Rose's gaze with obvious mistrust.

"Ah, correction, other humans. This one is from the past."

Rose was watching the exchange and rolled her eyes while Celeste's eyebrows bunched together. "Past? Time Lords aren't-"

"Well, when you're the only one left you tend to bend the rules, don't you?" The Doctor said cheekily before looking around once again. "It must be lonely here, full of pain." His voice was distant, as if reliving an old memory. Their eyes met and Celeste realized with a start that he has been through the same thing, the loneliness and helplessness. "Why don't you come with us?"

Her nose crinkled with obvious distaste, "You want me to travel with one of the aliens that killed my people?"

"If you don't like it, I can take you right back here. Just give it a shot, Celeste." His eyebrows shot up and Celeste felt...Challenged. After a brief moment of studying the two, Celeste nodded, comforted by an unexplained warmth in the heart of her chest. Bonythus was calling to her. "Fantast-_ic!_ Gather your things and I'll show you not all humans are bad!"

Feeling dismissed, Celeste turned and walked quietly to her octagon shelter, ignoring the sound of them following behind her. They entered the altar room and Rose wandered around, looking in awe at the altar fountain and reached to touch it. Celeste grabbed her wrist before she could. "Deadly to your kind." She said to her before taking a few onyx vials in various shapes and sizes and filling it with the blood of her Star Sisters and packed some of her robes and items she would need into a malleable steel sack.

he Doctor noticed Rose's amazed staring and said offhandedly, "This planet is formed entirely of metals, gems, and other similar materials. There is little to no plant life found on Nova."

"Why?"

"Because," Celeste informed cooly, "the Lady Star saw no need of this since we require nourishment found in what is around us, our community."

"You've been starved without it, haven't you?" The Doctor asked as if suddenly remembering that that was what Novician's lived on: each other.

Celeste lowered her eyes. "Yes...The aliens' energy kept me surviving but…"

The silence filled her altar room was thick and depressing until the Doctor grinned from ear to ear. "Well, shall we go?"

Without an answer, he took Rose's hand and Celeste's and albeit dragged them out of her room, barely giving the homesick woman time to say goodbye before she was pushed through the door of the blue box. She stood there for a minute, looking around with surprise at the size of his...home. It was made of metals that hummed with a familiar yet different energy and had various lights about it with a large circular-cylinder console in the middle. It seemed like a different version of the machines the aliens had brought with them and she felt her defensiveness come back ten-fold. The Doctor whizzed by her, oblivious to the High Priestess and Rose who studied her curiously.

Celeste turned to the human with her eyebrows raised in question. "Is there something thou requires?"

"Nope," The alien replied with a friendly smile. "but I was wondering, what's a lady star?" She asked in her odd, round accent.

"The Lady Star is Bonythus. She is my people's creator and provider."

"It's the shooting star in constant orbit around her planet. They say it has mystical powers and High Priestesses and Queens are supposedly connected to it, but it's just a piece of space debris." The Doctor said brashly.

Celeste glared at the man in odd clothing, "Bonythus is all seeing and powerful, she blesses those she chooses with gifts and they are bonded with her, like my lineage. We are marked at birth with the path she has chosen for us. "

"The silver skin? Please, that's just a recessive gene in your biochemical makeup." The Doctor made a face at Celeste when he leaned away from the controls.

His words made little sense to her but she knew they were insulting her Lady Star. With a fierce glare, she let her anger boil until it was potent energy tingling on her skin. Knowing that violence was not Bonythus's wishes, she focused instead on the machine around her. Feeling it's unearthly energy, she molded it in her mind's eye , cracking it open like one does rock to reach a diamond. And then she filled that diamond with her own, vibrating energy. The Doctor's head snapped up to look at Celeste while Rose stood by rather confused with her hands across her chest and watched Celeste's eyebrows knit in concentration.

With all her thoughts focused on one intent, she breathed her energy into the diamond heart of the machine and willed it to move, and it did. There was a whirring sound and the machine shook, making the Doctor and Rose stumble to hold on to the bars while Celeste fought to remain concentrated until it stopped and they stabilized. "What did you do? What the bloody hell did you do to my TARDIS?!" The Doctor yelled at Celeste as he raced towards the doors and flung them open, only to stand there with his mouth hanging out.

Rose raced after him and breathed, "It's beautiful."

Celeste smiled a bit and calmly walked towards the door, trying to hide her growing fatigue. That had took much more out of her than she had hoped to give, but it was worth it as she stood beside the three in the small space to look down, They were floating above her home planet, it's lands of blue and purple stardust camouflaged in space, but most importantly, they were locked in orbit with the Lady Star. She was indeed a shooting star, but her landscape was smooth and shimmering a bright silver with the molten mercury flowing in streams, creeks, and rivers along her silver powdered ground. Her entire sphere was encased in a light golden flame as it soared around her planet like a comet.

"To you, she is just a star. To me she is the blood of my people. But Bonythus isn't the star, the star is merely her constant symbol and lifeline to her once peaceful and proud people. Now she is my only connection to home. Insult her once more, and you will find yourself in a very bad predicament."

"Oi, you heard the High Priestess, quit insultin' other people." Rose chimed in after Celeste's warning, making Celeste smile and her anger dissipate just slightly.


End file.
